What if Spottedleaf Hadn't Died?
by mysteriously.mesmerized
Summary: HIATUS. This story takes place in 'Into The Wild'. What if Spottedleaf had never died? What would Firepaw have done? Would he have had the same forbidden love like Leafpool and Crowfeather?
1. Spottedleaf

**This story takes place in 'Into The Wild'. In the next few books, Fire_star_ had admitted that things would be different if Spottedleaf hadn't died. So in the scene of Clawface killing Spottedleaf and the scene of Firepaw meeting Yellowfang...what if those scenes had never happened? Would Fire_paw _have had a different path leading to a different love?**

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**_Chapter 1: Spottedleaf_**

_Firepaw _looked in horror and disbelief at the unmoving lump of fur. Her pelt was torn and her throat was slowly bubbling with the dark, crimson liquid. Just as Firepaw was ready to push his nose in the familiar tortoiseshell fur, Spottedleaf's body gave a tiny jerk and her jaws opened slightly in her shallow gasping breaths for air.

Firepaw stared unbelievably at the beautiful medicine cat. "Spottedleaf?" he whispered.

Spottedleaf just moved her jaws in reply. But even this small movement sent the blood oozing out of her throat faster.

Firepaw panicked. "Bluestar!" he yowled.

Bluestar came limping rapidly towards him. "What's the matter?" she puffed as she reached him.

"It's Spottedleaf!" Firepaw gasped. "S-she is awake!"

Bluestar looked at him in disbelief and joy. Then she pushed him away and bent down to sniff Spottedleaf's body. Only her rapid rising and falling of her flank told them that she was alive. "She is awake!" Bluestar exclaimed. "Quick, Firepaw, go get some cobwebs! We have to stop the bleeding first and just snatch some herbs too, incase some of them are useful."

Firepaw nodded and dashed off for Spottedleaf's den. He ran through the cool, fern tunnel and into the clearing. When he got there he was pretty much out of breath, he felt dizzy and he gasped for air. Spottedleaf's den was well arranged so it wasn't hard to find the cobwebs. Firepaw wrapped his forepaw full of cobwebs and looked around for herbs. He spotted a pile of bundled leaves, so he snatched up a few bundles and a few leaves on his way out.

As Firepaw dropped the herbs at Bluestar's paws, he flung down on the ground, exhausted. "Well done." Bluestar moewed as she peeled the cobwebs off his forepaw and pressed them onto the wound on Spottedleaf's neck. "What herbs have you brought?" Bluestar opened up a bundle of the leaves and inspected the herb carefully. Firepaw peeked in. Had he brought the wrong herb?

"Goldenrod." Bluestar finally meowed. "I think it was...it was...for healing wounds."

"Great!" Firepaw couldn't contain his happiness and began to chew up some of the leaves. The bitter taste trickled down onto his tongue and into his throat. He grimaced then he lowered his head so that the juice would not be wasted. Bluestar had already spat out some chewed leaves into a poultice. Firepaw then spat out his chewed up leaves into the poultice.

"That's enough I think." Bluestar said. And she took half of the poultice and smeared it onto the cobwebs on Spottedleaf's throat. The cobwebs instantly stained green with herb juice and Spottedleaf gently moaned as the juice reached her wound but her breaths were still shallow. Bluestar put the rest of the poultice onto Spottedleaf's torn pelt and then covered it with cobwebs.

Firepaw looked in silence then he sniffed the other leaves that he had snatched on his way out of Spottedleaf's den. He remember seeing it before. Spottedleaf had once told him about some of the herbs she had needed for she had wanted him to collect some if he sees them. Firepaw searched his mind for a name and the use. Suddenly it came to him.

"Bluestar," Firepaw moewed. Bluestar turned her head around. "Let Spottedleaf chew these." Firepaw pushed the leaves towards Bluestar.

"These." Bluestar inspected the leaves. "What are they?"

"They're coltsfoot. It helps the shortness of breath."

Bluestar nodded. "Very well." She bent her head and chewed up some leaves into a pulp. Then she parted Spottedleaf's jaws gently. "Firepaw, put the pulp into her mouth."

Firepaw pawed up the pulp and gently pushed it into Spottedleaf's mouth. Spottedleaf's jaws were slowly moving up and down in her chewing to swallow the pulp. Then jaws parted again to gasp for air, but this time her gasps were more even. Firepaw breathed a sigh of relief.

Bluestar sighed too. "Firepaw, you can stay here with Spottedleaf, and if she feels unwell again, call me."

Firepaw nodded and settled himself down more comfortably beside Spottedleaf.

- - - - - -

At dusk, when the breezes became colder, Firepaw shivered, longing for his warm nest. The Sandpaw came with a ball of moss dangling from her jaws. She settled it beside him. "Here." she mewed. "Bluestar sent me to give you some bedding."

"Thanks." Firepaw said, glad for the warm bedding. He began to make a nest for himself and Spottedleaf.

"Firepaw..." Sandpaw's voice suddenly sounded, and Firepaw looked up. He was surprised to see how warmly Sandpaw was looking at him.

"Er...wh-what?" Firepaw stammered.

"N-nothing." Sandpaw looked away, but Firepaw didn't miss the glance she gave Spottedleaf. What was she thinking? Sandpaw headed for the apprentices' den, leaving Firepaw puzzled. What did Sandpaw mean? Did it mean that...she suspected that Firepaw likes Spottedleaf? Or...was it something else?

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**How was it? Nice? Good? Bad? Hope you enjoyed it. Pweeez stay tuned and review!**


	2. Sandpaw

**Thanks, I'm glad you guys enjoyed my story. So here's the second chappie! Hope you would enjoy it as much as you enjoyed the last one! XD**

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**_Chapter 2: Sandpaw_**

_Firepaw _moaned gently as he felt something poking him uncomfortably on his side, he slowly blinked open his eyes, trying his best to not squirm against the bright rays of sunlight that filtered into his eyes.

"Wake up, Firepaw." it was Graypaw's voice. "It's about time for the hunting assessment Tigerclaw had arranged for us!"

Firepaw groaned as his pulled his stiffy body up into a sitting position. His joints ached for being sleeping outside in the clearing. He arched his back in a comforting stretch and turned his head to groom his ruffled fur and glanced at Spottedleaf. Her neat tortoiseshell fur was moving up and down in her steady rythm of breathing. Firepaw breathed a sigh of relief at Spottedleaf was able to breathe properly again.

"Come on," Graypaw mewed impatiently. "Tigerclaw isn't going to be in a good mood even if he is deputy!"

Firepaw gave his chest another couple of licks and trotted off with Graypaw. "You are acting like an impatient lump of fur today." Firepaw observed his friend.

"It's just that Tigerstar is going to be tough on us if we get late, since he's deputy." Graypaw puffed, heading towards the camp entrance.

Firepaw followed closely. "He _is _dangerous, I tell you."

Graypaw was silent for a moment. "It doesn't make him dangerous if he just murdered Redtail and tried to get rid of Ravenpaw!"

"_Just_." Firepaw snorted, scrabbling up to the top of the ravine.

As the two apprentices entered the training hollow, they heard a low growl. "It's about time." Tigerclaw emerged from under a gorse bush.

"Sorry, Tigerclaw." Graypaw mewed hastily. But Tigerclaw was staring at Firepaw, who held his gaze without flinching. Firepaw felt the dark tabby's gaze burn right through him but he just stared back, determined not to show any weakness.

"Come on," Tigerclaw meowed finally, waving his tail. "it's time to test your hunting skills."

Firepaw felt full of anticipation, standing up straighter, he listened to Tigerclaw's instructions. All of the previous hostility vanishing like dew, he pricked his ears as Tigerclaw began to speak.

"Both of you have to hunt in separate areas," he paused, glancing up at the sun. "it's almost sunhigh, so be back here at early dusk. I'll be watching you two carefully." he added, glancing at Firepaw. Firepaw felt his fur begin to bristle, all that hostility coming back. Is Tigerclaw going to think that he will be caught talking to Smudge again?

Tigerclaw ignored the glare Firepaw gave him and continued. "Graypaw, you go hunt from the Great Sycamore as far as Fourtrees. And Firepaw," Tigerclaw said fixing a stern glare on him that made Firepaw burn with irritation and defiance. Firepaw has made up his mind to not be suspected of his favor to kittypet life. "You go hunt from Tallpines along Sunning Rocks up to the Owl Tree." Tigerclaw finished.

Both apprentices nodded and they sprang off in opposite directions towards their assigned areas. Firepaw felt relieved only when he had plunged into the thick covering of the bushes and when Tigerclaw's scortching gaze was no longer felt on his flank.

- - - - - - - - - -

Stepping lightly, Firepaw crept on the creature. It was scuffling along the roots of a oak tree and haven't detected a thing. Firepaw gathered his haunches and sprang. Landing with his front claws sinking into the furry skin, Firepaw killed it with a swift bite to the neck. Turning around with the mouse dangling from his jaws, Firepaw tossed the mouse along with the chaffinch he caught earlier, he scraped earth over it so he can collect it later.

Firepaw had veered sharply away from Tallpines and entered the undergrowth that surrounded Sunning Rocks. He was now trotting slowly along the border of Sunning Rocks, thinking about how to tell Bluestar of Tigerclaw's treachery. He could tell her in their next training session, but he quickly dismissed that thought. He would be taken away by learning new techniques and would have no chance of even to mention it. Longtail and Darkstripe guarded her den day and night, hearing all conversations being told.

Firepaw shook his head. Bluestar expected too much of Tigerclaw, she wouldn't believe him. Then a little rustle in a bush distarcted him. Firepaw parted his jaws to draw it the scent. It was a cat. Firepaw felt his fur beginning to rise. He dropped into a crouch and pinpointed the cat as the bush gave another rustle. He leaped, landing straight on top of a lump of ginger fur. The cat gave a screech of surprise and struggled. Firepaw then recognized the scent.

"Sandpaw?" Firepaw mewed, jumping off her back.

Sandpaw shook herself. "Firepaw?" she relaxed, her fur lying down. "I thought you were some cat from another clan planning to ambush me."

"So did I." Firepaw said slowly, surprised at the amused tone of Sandpaw. He had suspected of a sharp retort and his ears being clawed off.

"What are you doing here?" Sandpaw asked, fixing his gaze with her forest green eyes.

"Hunting assessment." Firepaw replied. "And you?"

"Oh, that." Sandpaw purred, pointing to a small pile of leaves. "Runningwind got his paw cut while repairing the nursery walls, so Spottedleaf asked me to fetch some marigold leaves since her stock was running low."

Firepaw just nodded, feeling puzzled at Sandpaw's sudden change of emotion at the mention of Spottedleaf. What was she thinking? "I think I'd better go." Firepaw stood up.

Sandpaw nodded, picking up the leaves, she looked at Firepaw with warmth in her eyes. Firepaw felt his ears getting hot. Sandpaw then merely brushed past him towards the ThunderClan camp. Only when the tip of Sandpaw's tail disappeared behind the bushes, did Firepaw turn towards the Owl Tree and continue his hunting assessment. Then did he realize that Tigerclaw could have taken in all of these scenes.

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**It's been a while since I updated, so...my apologies! I have been wondering if I should make Firepaw meet Yellowfang, can I have suggestions please? Anyways just plz stay tuned and review! XD**


	3. Yellowfang

**Ah! I realized that I haven't updated in months! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm SO sorry! (bows apologetically) But anyways, here's the next chappie!! Pweez ENJOY!!! And REIVEW! Thanks a bunch! XD**

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**_Chapter 3: Yellowfang_**

_Firepaw _groaned, as if in reply, his stomach growled with hunger. He dropped his head onto his paws, feeling all grumpy.

"What's the matter?" Graypaw padded beside him, sitting down.

"Tigerclaw caught me attacking Sandpaw." Firepaw muttered sulkily. "So he didn't allow me to eat any fresh-kill."

"Well, she deserved it." Graypaw shot a glance at Sandpaw, who was tearing into a starling.

"So did I." Firepaw meowed sarcastically.

"Don't feel so bad about it." Graypaw licked Firepaw's ear. "At least you did well on our assessment. I took us five times to get all the fresh-kill we caught!" his eyes shined proudly.

Firepaw felt better. _Yeah...I least I did good on my assessment..._then he suddenly remembered the look Sandpaw gave him on their confontation. He glanced at Spottedleaf, whose wounds had healed well and eating a juicy mouse in front of the medicine cat's den.

"Ah, well," Graypaw stood up and stretched. "I've gotta get some sleep, today's assessment really wore me out!"

Firepaw watched as his friend padded lazily into the apprentices' den, his gaze flickering over a certain ginger she-cat for a moment, but Firepaw quickly moved his gaze away. Sandpaw was acting weird, he could tell, but he didn't know the reason, which made curiousity creep inside him. A yawn broke through his thoughts and he realized that he was also feeling very drowsy. Firepaw got up and shook himself. As he brushed past Sandpaw on his way into the apprentices' den, he felt something well up his chest...not curiousity...but something warm and fuzzy...

- - - - - -

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join under the High Rock for a clan meeting!" Bluestar's yowl rang loudly into Firepaw's ears and he groaned. Firepaw curled himself into a tight ball in his nest, hoping to escape the clan meeting and get some more sleep. But obviously that didn't work, because he soon felt a paw prodding his side.

"Come on up, you lazy furball! Bluestar called a clan meeting, you know!" Firepaw blinked open his eyes and saw Graypaw hissing to him quietly.

Firepaw moaned and hauled up his stiffy body. He gave his ruffled fur a few quick licks and followed Graypaw out. "Bluestar sure calls a clan meeting early!" Firepaw complained.

"Early?" Graypaw stared at him like he was from StarClan, and sat down in the clearing. "It's already past sunhigh, you mousebrain!"

"It is?" Firepaw blurted out. He glanced up at the sun and realized that his friend was right. "Oh, yeah...it is." Firepaw meowed stupidly. He heard a little _mrrow _of laughter. he turned his head and saw Spottedleaf looking at him with amusement shining in her eyes. Firepaw felt his ears instantly burning hot and he studied his paws.

"Today, I'm here to announce that Sandpaw has brought an intruder into camp..." Firepaw pricked up his ears at the mention of Sandpaw, but he didn't know why.

"She smells like a lump of fox-dung!" a cat hissed.

"Why don't we chase her out?" spat another.

Only now did Firepaw crane his neck to see the intruder that was brought into camp. He saw a baggy furred gray she-cat with a very broad and flattened face. Firestar twitched his nose as he smelt the wrench of rotting fresh-kill mingled with fear scent. The she-cat's yellow eyes were wide but shone with hostility and defiance, her ears flattened as she bared her teeth at the ThunderClan cats.

"Arrogant, isn't she?" Graypaw whispered into Firepaw's ear.

"Silence!" Bluestar lashed her tail and signaled to Spottedleaf, who nodded and trotted over to the intruder.

Spottedleaf put down a bundle of herbs and approached the intruder, wanting to check her wounds, but the she-cat just snarled at Spottedleaf and drew back. "I don't need a medicine cat to look after me!"

Bluestar's whiskers twitched. "If I'm not wrong, you're the medicine of ShadowClan, Yellowfang, isn't it?"

"The former medicine cat." Yellowfang corrected, relaxing, but still glaring defiantly.

Firepaw suddenly took interest in the old snag bag, and tried to take a better look at her. But when he stretched his neck, he suddenly noticed Sandpaw sitting beside the High Rock, her chest puffed out proudly. Although she had some scratches, she seemed okay.

"You see that look in Sandpaw's eyes?" Graypaw hissed, disgusted. "She's acting as if she had just managed to kill a badger in the river!"

"Well, it's normal for her to be proud...and since she did bring an intruder into camp..." Firepaw stated slowly.

Graypaw looked at him in surprise. "You're talking _for _her?!"

"Longtail, Dustpaw, take Yellowfang to the fallen tree beside the elder's den and get her some bedding." Bluestar raised her voice. The two toms nodded their heads and padded up to nudge Yellowfang to her paws. Yellowfang snarled defiantly and struggled up. Firepaw's gaze followed her back until Bluestar spoke again.

"As I've mentioned before, Sandpaw has brought Yellowfang to camp, so she has done a good deed," Bluestar glanced at Sandpaw, "So she will get an extra fresh-kill and she will come to the next Gathering."

Firepaw felt his ears twitch and Graypaw whispered into his ear again. "And now, she gets to eat more from the fresh-kill _we _caught!"

"You can stop acting as a short-tempered lump of fur now!" Firepaw hissed back good-naturedly and stood up as Bluestar jumped down from the High Rock.

Graypaw groaned. "Whatever, just prepare to get your ears blocked so that they don't fall off by Sandpaw's boasting today."

Firepaw just nodded and dragged his paws back onto his nest and curled in. Just before he closed his eyes, he caught sight of Sandpaw poking her head into the apprentices' den and glanced at him with...expectation? Firepaw blinked away all his sleepiness, but went he looked at Sandpaw again, she was already backed towards him, heading for the medicine cat's den.


End file.
